The current rules for the college football transfer portal state that a player can transfer from their first school one time without any penalty. Additionally, if a head coach leaves, players are given another opportunity to transfer. Finally, a graduate transfer has no limits on transfers. Up to this point, these rules have led to chaos, but at least somewhat contained chaos,
However, following a court ruling during college basketball season that said that players who transferred twice could not be held out of playing, it seems that the transfer portal is about to enter a stage without regulations or restrictions.
This is not good for the sport.
NCAA President Charlie Baker Seems To Support Less Control
It’s no secret that the NCAA has put itself in a tough spot. They are literally hanging by a thread when it comes to being the governing body over college athletics, particularly college football, which brings in the most revenue. Because of this, the NCAA almost has to side with the players on every issue. Otherwise, players and teams could revolt and ultimately break away from the NCAA (which feels inevitable anyway).
Back in February, Charlie Baker said the following regarding limiting transfers:
“One of the things I hear from kids when I talk to them about this issue is, ‘Coaches walk out on their contracts. What about us?v
“Do they transfer more than they did ten years ago? Yes. Do they transfer more than their peers who aren’t student-athletes? No,” Baker said. “… They actually transfer less than students who aren’t student-athletes do, and kids just transfer more because they have more information, more data, and they’re more impatient about a lot of things.”
-Charlie Baker, Interview with ESPN
It’s impossible to know if this is his true feeling or if it is more of the opinion of the NCAA’s best interest, but regardless, he has set the precedent that this is the direction that the NCAA is going to take, meaning that in all likelihood, unless universities want to fight this battle legally alone, athletes are going to be able to transfer as many times as they want.
College Football Players and Other Athletes Argue The Transfer Portal Is A Real-Life Scenario, But It’s Off-Touch
College Athletes argue that in the real world, employees can leave their current work for another job if a better opportunity arises. While this is technically true, it’s also true that in the real world, employees don’t announce their intention to leave a job or look around, knowing that if nothing else works, they can return to that job without any negative consequence. In the past, the transfer portal wasn’t like this, but with already 107 players returning to their old team, and that number likely to more than double before the season starts, it has gone beyond ‘real life’.
Additionally, players have started to realize that they can hold their school hostage for NIL money and playing opportunities. Coaches no longer control this. If a star player wants more targets or running opportunities, they can enter the portal and demand more NIL or playing time to return. Try going up to your boss and threatening to leave if you don’t immediately get a better position or paycheck. Actually, don’t; you may end up without a job.
College Football Would Have No Stability
Yesterday, the University of Arkansas basketball team announced that it had lost every scholarship player on the roster following Eric Musselman’s departure and John Calipari’s arrival. This means that next year, the team will, in all likelihood, not play a single player who wore an Arkansas uniform this year.
College Football isn’t far behind. If players are allowed to transfer as many times as they want and face no consequence or have any incentive not to leave, college football won’t be recognizable in a few years. A team will go from 0-12 to 12-0 in one season. Building a culture will be impossible, and four-year seniors will become obsolete.
Is that the direction we want college football and sports to go? I can’t speak for everyone, but it’s a hard no for me.
Get More NFL and College Football Content